Good information here. My husband and I were in Salt Lake City at the Latter Saints Research Center. We were new at this and got some information but if you have a chance, go there. They also have many locations where you can get information. Even in a small town near me they are there on a Saturday for a few hours. Check their site.
I look at obituaries but they can be wrong. My step-father's first name was spelled wrong and I gave them the information. They corrected it the next week. It was a small town and people knew him so they did come to the services.
On one census, they misspelled my grandmother's name.
I am lucky enough on my grandfather's side to have a famous artist so he is in history books and there is information about his family. My mother told me the name of the town in Italy my grandparents lived before coming to America and I found relatives on Facebook with this information.
On my grandmother, I only know a little and she was born in Italy. In a letter my mother had from my aunt she had written the recipe for my grandmother's bread. On the other side, she had written "Mom got a letter today her sister in Italy had passed away". No date. I finally found the sister's name. One lived in Colorado near my grandparents so I knew her.
Look at recipe books and old letters. I kept my mother's calendars as she had birthdates written on them.
The Minnesota Historical Society has given me lots of information on my husband's family.
I am waiting for my DNA to come for the results. I do not know much about my real father so am interested to know about him.
My step-father's chart goes back to when his family left Wales and came to America.
Sometimes, you have to pull teeth to get relatives to write back to you. I know from experience. Keep trying.
Sorry, I have talked so much. I am 79 and if I do not do this, my kids will not know what I know and remember. Good for people who do the research.
Leona